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Kotomora

仁

humanity, virtue, benevolence, charity, man, kernel

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes4

Readings

On'yomi

  • ジン
  • ニ
  • ニン

Kun'yomi

—

Nanori

  • きみ
  • く
  • さと
  • しのぶ

Meaning

仁 centers on the ideal of humaneness: the virtue of compassion, benevolence, and charity that defines a good person. The 'kernel' sense is a specialized extension referring to the inner seed or core of something, like a fruit pit.

Most common words using 仁

20 of 76
  • 仁じん

    benevolence (esp. as a virtue of Confucianism); consideration; compassion; humanity; charity

  • 仁義じんぎ

    humanity and justice (esp. in Confucianism); virtue

  • 仁川インチョン

    Incheon (South Korea); Inchon

  • 仁王におう

    two Deva kings; guardian gods of Buddhism who stand at the entrance of a Buddhist temple

  • 杏仁きょうにん

    apricot seed; apricot kernel

  • 仁王立ちにおうだち

    imposing stance; daunting pose

  • 御仁ごじん

    personage; person (deserving of respect)

  • 応仁おうにん

    Ōnin era (1467.3.5-1469.4.28)

  • 仁徳じんとく

    benevolence; goodness

  • 亜麻仁あまに

    flaxseed; linseed

  • 仁愛じんあい

    benevolence; charity; love

  • 寛仁かんじん

    magnanimous

  • 寛仁かんにん

    Kannin era (1017.4.23-1021.2.2)

  • 仁王門におうもん

    Deva gate; temple gate guarded by fierce Deva Kings; temple gate of the Nio

  • 仁丹じんたん

    Jintan (brand-name breath mint marketed as having various medicinal properties); refreshing candies resembling BBs or metallic dragees

  • 朴念仁ぼくねんじん

    quiet unsociable person

  • 仁平にんぺい

    Ninpei era (1151.1.26-1154.10.28)

  • 一視同仁いっしどうじん

    loving every human being with impartiality; universal brotherhood; universal benevolence

  • 不仁ふじん

    heartlessness; inhumanity

  • 亜麻仁油あまにゆ

    linseed oil; flaxseed oil

Explore all words using 仁 →

Study

Etymology

仁 combines 亻 (person) and 二 (two), suggesting the relationship between two people as the foundation of humaneness and virtue.

Meaning mnemonic

A person 亻 beside the number two 二: think of two people treating each other with kindness and benevolence. That mutual care is the kernel of humanity.

Reading mnemonic

For ジン, imagine a benevolent genie emerging when two people rub a lamp together: genie -> ジン, and the genie grants charity to all.